The veteran midfielder was dropped for the Euro 2012 qualifier away to Bulgaria before being restored to the starting XI for Tuesday's lacklustre 1-0 win over Wales. His omission in Sofia led to inevitable suggestions that Fabio Capello could be ready to call time on the 33-year-old's career for his country. But the former West Ham player insists he will continue to give his all for club and country and is happy to keep proving the critics wrong. "I've been here before," said Lampard. "I've had slow starts to seasons when I was 25-26, I had a World Cup which didn't go well. I wasn't told I was old then, I was just told I was crap! "That is just the game. I honestly don't mind. When I was 25, I probably would have had a different reaction to it all. "Once you've been around the block a little bit, you understand how things are and my main aim is to play for Chelsea week in and week out. "People can talk about my age for as long as they like. There is nothing better in football than proving people wrong and I'll try and do that for as long as I can. "I understand at 38-40 years of age I certainly won't be playing for England but I'd rather be sitting on the settee thinking I gave everything to play while I can rather than thinking I ducked out and could have done my country a bit more. "As when you are young, you shouldn't be ruled out because of your age I think it's the same the other end of the age scale." Lampard remains keen to reach the milestone of a century of caps for his country and has no plans to turn his back on playing for the Three Lions. He added: "As long as you are showing the energy and desire to play and quality for your clubs every week, and when you come here with England, then I think he'll (Capello) pick you and as long as he does that, I'll still keep turning up. "But no excuses. I'm going to hopefully be on top form very soon. We've only played three games. I've not flown out of the blocks, I don't think Chelsea have as a group. "I'd love to get to 100 caps but it's not something I'm going to hang around and be trying to do if it's not there. I'll just be proud to play for as long as I can. "There is only two ways I won't play for England - a) if I don't get picked which is fair enough and b) if I found it beneficial to my long term career on the Chelsea front. But I'll certainly give everything I can while I can."
